Trequon D. Wade

Trequon D. Wade, a 16-year-old Black male, was remembered by loved ones as a "little brother" whose life was tragically cut short on a cold winter night in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Though he had been out of the Allentown school system for several years and was most recently in a juvenile facility, his death left friends and family calling for peace, prayers, and justice.

On the evening of January 25, 2016, a dispute that began inside a Dollar General store on Ridge Avenue spilled out onto the street. At approximately 9:33 p.m., in the 300 block of Ridge Avenue, Trequon was shot multiple times in front of the Ridge Avenue Laundromat. Witnesses reported hearing an argument just before the gunshots rang out. One witness told police they saw a man in a black mask, who they recognized as 19-year-old Michael Angelo Rodriguez, arguing with another person. The witness said Rodriguez pulled out a gun, put it away, and then motioned toward Trequon. He then allegedly approached Trequon and shot him. As Trequon tried to get up, the gunman shot him again.

First responders rushed Trequon, who lived on the 800 block of St. John Street, to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. Despite medical efforts, he was pronounced dead at 11:10 p.m. The Lehigh County Coroner's Office determined the cause of death was a single gunshot wound and ruled it a homicide, the second in the city that year.

Allentown police detectives launched an immediate investigation, canvassing the snow-covered streets for evidence with metal detectors and seeking witnesses. They focused their attention on the area between the laundromat and Yatty's Grocery, a nearby convenience store. The store owner heard the shots and told police he had not seen anyone outside just before the incident. While his surveillance cameras were not pointed toward the scene of the shooting, he believed someone must have seen what happened. On the sidewalk where Trequon fell, a small memorial of balloons and candles soon appeared.

The investigation quickly led to a person of interest. Based on witness statements, including one from an acquaintance who had known him for eight months and recognized his voice, police identified Michael Angelo Rodriguez as the suspect. Just four days after the shooting, on the night of January 29, 2016, authorities tracked Rodriguez to the city of York, Pennsylvania. With the assistance of local police, Allentown and Lehigh County detectives arrested him around 8 p.m.

Rodriguez, who had no current address at the time, was transported back to Lehigh County. He was formally charged with criminal homicide and firearms offenses for his alleged role in Trequon’s death. Following his arraignment, he was sent to the Lehigh County Jail. While a motive was not immediately released by law enforcement, the arrest affidavit detailed the argument that preceded the fatal shooting.

Court records show that in November 2016, Michael Angelo Rodriguez pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and a firearms charge. In January 2017, a Lehigh County judge sentenced him to 25 to 50 years in state prison for the murder of Trequon Wade. The case is now considered closed by law enforcement due to the conviction and sentencing.